150 Ghanaians die from road accident every month

Kumasi-Accra Road account for 25 % of all accidents in Ghana

If the figures given on the rate of accidents on road and its resultant deaths are something to go by, then much work needs to be done by the government, the transport ministry and the entire nation to curb the ills on Ghanaian roads. According to the Ghana Road Safety Commission, more than 150 people die in this country every month (i.e. five (5) deaths every day) through road accidents with over 1000 persons sustaining injuries.

More than 1000 persons of all ages die every year through the same cause, which also gives an average of over 10,000 injuries. All these happen in a country whose vehicle population is only 800,000.

The number of fatalities through accidents in Ghana is projected to be over 10,000 from 2003 to 2010 with over 70,000 injuries during the period. That is what is expected to happen when the vehicle population of the country would have reached 2.5 million.

Among the causes of the accidents with their fatalities are road user behaviour, unsafe vehicles and unsafe roads.

These could be checked, says the acting Director of the Road Safety Commission, Noble Appiah, when there are safer road users, safer roads, safer vehicles as well as proper mechanisms that ensures prompt attention towards the survival of accident victims.

Speaking at a symposium to mark the seventh International Road Transport workers Action Day in Accra, Noble Appiah, blamed overloading, fatigue, over speeding and unsafe vehicles for their contribution to high accident.

The Ghana chapter of International Transport Workers Federation, since 1996 has been celebrating the workers action day on the October 13. The theme adopted for this year, like the previous years, is “fatigue kills.”

It is estimated that besides other causes of transport accidents, fatigue contribute to 25% of road accidents globally. That is, drivers who travel long distances for over nine hours usually in the late night and pre-dawn hours are more likely to be involved in accident than other drivers.

In Ghana, “buses and heavy duty vehicles account for more than 70% of accidents where fatigue is a major contributory factor. More than 18% of accidents occur between 7-12 pm” said Appiah.

He gave data to explain the relationship between long hours of driving and susceptibility to accident. For instance, when one drives up to two hours, probable accident is one which stands in sharp contrast with over eight hours of driving, accident probability is one to eight.

Appiah gave an overview of basic road accident statistics in Ghana saying that 70% of accidents involve males and the 25 – 35 year group account for 25% fatalities. He explained the implication of the situation to the effect that if it is not controlled, the country will soon loose its work-force through road accident and thus retard the growth of the nation.

Appiah said that contrary to the perception that accidents mostly occur on rough road, 70% of the accidents happen on smooth and flat roads. He attributed this to over speeding on very good roads. 25% pedestrian fatalities involve children, the commission’s director said adding, “16% of accidents occur on Saturdays and 47% fatalities involve pedestrians”.

Over speeding accounts for more than 50% of accidents and 25% of fatalities occur on the Accra-Kumasi roads.

The Minister of Roads and Transport, represented by Deputy Minister Alex Seidu Sofo, said the government has initiated proposals for the enactment of a new Road and Traffic regulation.

"These will regulate the use of vehicles on our roads to minimize the incidents of indiscipline and make road travel safe and cabinet approval has been granted and very soon spot fines for specific offences will be started” the minister announced.

Sofo made reference to the rehabilitation works the government has embarked upon in recent times.

These include the major roads linking Accra and other cities as well as major transport corridors and food-producing corridors.

He also talked about the decision to “dualize the very heavily trafficked roads in an effort to shorten distances and reduce head-on collision, one of the causes of road fatalities.”

Those, in addition to the importation of mass transport buses, according to the minister, are designed to improve the business environment in order to boost investment, trade and agricultural productivity and the thereby reduce poverty levels.

The ITF Ghana comprise the General Transport, Petroleum and Chemical Workers, Maritime and Dockworkers union of TUC.

The Action Day is celebrated to provide platform for the transport unions and MDU to reflect on the causes and effects of road and industrial accidents. The day also helps to draw attention to the worsening working conditions of transport and maritime workers, who often work for very long hours and so get exposed to accidents that results from fatigue.